My first dealings with Santander ...

Micky

... the 6% current account tempted me, if only to prove a point, but initial communications are not good. Are they as incompetent as my initial impressions suggest? Have I led a sheltered life with First Direct for the last 18 years or so?

onlypaddy

i would rather nail my nut sack to the rear end of a wild horse than choose santander over first direct

run away!

Micky

.... it's in addition to First Direct

Edit: but I might run away anyway

blueberrypie

Micky wrote: »

... the 6% current account tempted me, if only to prove a point, but initial communications are not good. Are they as incompetent as my initial impressions suggest? Have I led a sheltered life with First Direct for the last 18 years or so?

Yes and yes.

stella2009

It amazes me how Santander manage to keep getting all these customers when there is nothing but negative comments all over the place.........

blueberrypie

stella2009 wrote: »

It amazes me how Santander manage to keep getting all these customers when there is nothing but negative comments all over the place.........

They keep offering deals that tempt people in: £100 to switch here, a 0% overdraft there, 5% interest over there...they get lots of new customers through those deals (though plenty of those customers regret it later).

I've been with A&L for years, but am in the process of moving my banking elsewhere - however I've just opened an ISA with them because of the rate being offered. However I'm going in with my eyes open - I suspect a lot of the new customers who are tempted in by the offers above don't have any idea.

jen_br

I hae to say RUN from santander.. they closed my account "by accident" and now they dont know how to fix it all my money and my husbands wages for this month are locked away and they willlook into isssuing it out to me 7-10 days

i have them recorded on the phone and in the branch admitting it is there fault by accident they closed the account.. now im being charged for late fees etc.. and no account ...

stella2009

jen_br wrote: »

I hae to say RUN from santander.. they closed my account "by accident" and now they dont know how to fix it all my money and my husbands wages for this month are locked away and they willlook into isssuing it out to me 7-10 days

i have them recorded on the phone and in the branch admitting it is there fault by accident they closed the account.. now im being charged for late fees etc.. and no account ...

I would be stood in the branch kicking off and refusing to move until the branch Manager has sorted it out. Tell all the customers that come in what they have done and how they won't deal with it.

They will soon sort it!!!

Old_Wrinkly

stella2009 wrote: »

It amazes me how Santander manage to keep getting all these customers when there is nothing but negative comments all over the place.........

Obviously, Santander (as such) is a relatively new phenomena in the UK.
ShAbbey and A&L both took heavy criticism over the years for their customer service (often at the same time as being recognised for good rates). Santander has taken over that situation. Whether they can turn-round the image is up to them.

Micky

jen_br wrote: »

I hae to say RUN from santander.. they closed my account "by accident" and now they dont know how to fix it all my money and my husbands wages for this month are locked away and they willlook into isssuing it out to me 7-10 days

i have them recorded on the phone and in the branch admitting it is there fault by accident they closed the account.. now im being charged for late fees etc.. and no account ...

Closed the account by accident??!! Defies belief. I've now had a reasonable reply from someone hiding in customer services after some prodding, but initial impressions are not good. Although they do ring my personal landline to speak to another member of the family, I have asked them for the password of the day etc but I sense that they've heard that before, so the current response is to ask them to hold the line and then play them an audio CD of Sherlock Holmes. They've not called back for a couple of days ..

jen_br

yes i have written letters i have 2 bank managers and 6 people from complaints dealing with it.. ive tried to sort something out as my husbands wages were due to be paid in this evening!!! to an account i didn't know was closed!!

So now we can't get his wages for 2 weeks *chq issued next week once santander release the stolen err i mean funds they have taken into their account. and then DHs boss will issue a chq... 5 days to clear!

and the thing is i have been in santander branch for 6 hours today.. i had to open a NEW account with them as they have accessed my Criedt file so many times over this i had no choice BUT i can't be added to the account yet only my husband.

AND the cherry on the cake... no facilites as promised. their advice write to the ombudsman. I have been in tears for hours.

I said we have had no access to our account since march 14.. when they closed it the first time managed to reopn and ive been waiting on cards.. then today i got the cards only to find out the account has been CLOSED!!

its crap.. im annoyed tired and have had NO access to money in weeks. I asked them what to do they said borrow off friends and family.. (im from canda sooo now what??)) My husband has had to ask his co-workers

the money that was IN my santander account already (300.00) is being held by them as well. I asked if i could get some out... they said they can't do that.

ive never cried so hard I said oh ok, so i feed my baby on what? the manager felt so bad for me she offered me 10.00 of her own money!